Ryan Reynolds: Fatherhood relaxes me

Ryan Reynolds feels calmer since welcoming his daughter.

The actor and his wife Blake Lively had little James in December last year and have both spoken about the changes parenthood brings.

Particularly for 38-year-old Ryan, daddy duties have turned things around.

"I grew up in a real macho household, I can be a hot-head," he admitted to the German magazine Jolie. "These days, I let my frustrations out through acting.

"And yes, I am calmer since my daughter arrived. Fatherhood just does something to you. You're dead tired, but on top of the world."

Things might be rosy for Ryan privately, but in his latest film The Voices, he portrays a serial killer who believes his pet cat is encouraging him to murder.

It may be worlds away from his reality, but Ryan doesn't believe it affects his ability to portray such a disturbed character.

"There are studies that show that even the biggest, most positive changes in your life have little effect on character," he reasoned.

"I'm still the same person I used to be: an actor, who's just grateful when he gets work."

Ryan is clearly relishing his dad role, taking pride in being so hands on. However, he's glad Blake took over when push came to shove.

"I was going to say sugar cereal makes me feel truly alive. But, actually, I would say having a baby – that’ll do it. Well, I didn’t have it, my wife did. It would have been very hard on my penis if I’d had it," he recently deadpanned to Shortlist magazine.